Published Sep 25, 2026 | 6:37 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 25, 2026 | 6:37 PM
Vijay alleged that the POCSO case had a long history and claimed that details relating to the case had been "hidden" earlier.
Synopsis: The “painful” issue of the Veeramani POCSO case became a key charge in Vijay’s Maduranthakam speech, as he questioned why Stalin and other political leaders had remained silent. The CM also claimed credit for bringing the issue back into public attention, saying that the matter had remained hidden for years until his government acted on it and the accused was arrested.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader C Joseph Vijay questioned the DMK’s silence over the POCSO case against GEM Granites founder R Veeramani, who has been accused of sexually abusing minors.
Vijay was campaigning for party candidate Maragatham Kumaravel near the Athur toll plaza in the Maduranthakam constituency on Friday, September 25.
The Chief Minister began the latter part of his speech by referring to what he described as a “painful” issue concerning children and women. Without naming the accused, Vijay alleged that a person had been sexually exploiting young women and children for several years and claimed that the case had been handled during the previous DMK government.
“Those are all young children… young children,” Vijay said, questioning why political leaders were not speaking about their alleged suffering.
He then directly challenged DMK president MK Stalin to speak publicly about the issue.
Stalin had posted on X on September 24 that “neither Veeramani, nor those who aided him, nor anyone who attempted to protect him—regardless of what position they hold—should be allowed to escape. All must be brought before the law and given the maximum punishment. This is the official stance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.”
The former Chief Minister had also urged “those in the ruling party to stop this despicable act of exploiting the suffering of minor girls as a tool for by-elections, and to cease spreading slander through the media.”
Vijay alleged that the POCSO case had a long history and claimed that details relating to the case had been “hidden” earlier. He questioned what had happened during the previous government and asked whether any ‘deal’ had been struck when it came to the handling of the matter.
He also questioned why DMK and AIADMK leaders had not spoken about the issue. The Chief Minister said that the victims were children and argued that political leaders who speak about protecting women should also speak about the alleged abuse of children.
In his words, if political leaders could not speak about the suffering of the children involved, he questioned what they had been doing in politics for so many years.
Vijay also claimed credit for bringing the issue back into public attention, saying that the matter had remained hidden for years until his government acted on it and the accused was arrested.
The POCSO reference came after Vijay had already spent a substantial part of his speech attacking the DMK over its alleged use of abusive language against women.
He said he had tolerated personal remarks against him and even remarks about his mother, but argued that he could not accept what he described as derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu women who supported him.
Vijay repeatedly positioned the bypoll as a contest over women’s safety, corruption and the protection of children.
He appealed to voters to support Maragatham Kumaravel, who was standing on the TVK symbol, and said that voting for the whistle would be a way of responding to those who, according to him, had spoken improperly about women.
Apart from the POCSO issue, Vijay’s speech focused heavily on the political contest between the TVK and the DMK.
He argued that his government represented ordinary people and repeatedly contrasted his political background with established parties. He also attacked the DMK and AIADMK over their political alignments and alleged that several parties were working together against the TVK.
Vijay also defended his government’s borrowing, saying that it was not to “loot” public money but to implement its election promises and welfare schemes.
He cited the expansion of the free-bus scheme for women, the increase in milk procurement prices and the government’s approach to the Parandur airport issue as examples of his government’s work.
On Maduranthakam specifically, he referred to proposals including infrastructure for social-justice hostels, expansion of Maduranthakam Government Hospital, improvements to irrigation canals and the Maduranthakam lake, storage facilities for agricultural produce and other local infrastructure projects.
The Maduranthakam bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9. The contest follows Maragatham Kumaravel’s resignation as an AIADMK MLA and her subsequent move to the TVK, according to election-related reports.
Also Read:
A whistleblower, an NGO & a pen drive that told a sordid tale — and put an industrialist behind bars
(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
